


A Promise

by Sorceress_Supreme



Series: Paths of The Arcana [1]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Autistic Character, Autistic apprentice, Fluff, Multi, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 18:17:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15273441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorceress_Supreme/pseuds/Sorceress_Supreme
Summary: Vittoria was fine until she wasn't. But a cold isn't so bad with three people to care for her.





	A Promise

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fic for The Arcana. I used my apprentice Vittoria who has romanced all three love interests. This story takes place post game where I believe everything was fine in the end.

  Vittoria’s day was going fine. Really. Aside from the slight headache she was fine. At least that’s what she kept telling herself while she ground up lavender in the library as Nadia did paperwork, Asra played with Faust and Julian was pouring over medical texts that were newly added to the library.

  
  It all went downhill when she started coughing occasionally. At first she chalked it up to the lavender she was crushing up in the mortar however it kept up when she switched to crushing cinnamon sticks. Nadia looked up her red eyes finding Vittoria’s dark brown.

  
  “Vittoria? Are you alright? You’ve been coughing for a little while now.” Nadia says which slowly draws Asra and Julian’s gazes over to Vittoria and her table full of spices and herbs.

  
  “Fine I promise. It’s just a cough…and a headache. But REALLY I’m ok!” Vittoria says keeping her head down remembering the last time she said that…Julian and Nadia both believed her thinking it was stress from helping treat the plague patients neither of them could imagine she had caught it. And Asra…he didn’t know until it was too late.

  
  Julian gets up from his desk walking over and removing his right glove gently tilting her chin up with his still gloved left hand up so she’ll look at him.

  
  “Vita is it ok if I look you over a bit?” His gray eye already seeing her eyes are bloodshot. “ _Like when Nadia or I cannot sleep. Did the cough start last night or did she stay up all night again wandering the gardens with Asra and Faust looking for shooting stars?_ ” he thinks to himself as Vittoria nods pulling off the apron she was wearing to keep the silk and linen dress she was wearing clean.

  
  Vittoria tried to keep from sighing in relief when Julian placed his hand on her forehead. She ended up coughing harshly instead. Asra came over and started rubbing her back through the fit before sitting down to help keep her steady just in case she felt woozy, Nadia was already walking to the water pitcher removing a handkerchief from her dress to wet it down.

  
  “You seem a little warm Vita.’ Julian says moving his hand to the back of her neck thinking of the last time he did this was when she fell into the aqueduct and was bit by a vampire eel, ‘Do you want to lie down for a bit? Pretty sure we can make a comfortable spot on the couch?” he asked as he took the wet cloth from Nadia and laid it on Vittoria’s forehead.

  
  “I can ask Portia to bring that blanket you like?” Nadia asked softly while Vittoria laid her head on Asra’s shoulder.

  
“That…that’d be nice. Sorry I’m being so ‘Vittoria cut off as Asra gently tugged at her brown hair.

  
  “You don’t have to apologize to us Vittoria. You’re sick. Let us take care of you.” Asra said while the unspoken “Unlike last time.” Hung in the air around the four of them remembering the last time Vittoria was sick she died from the Red Plague and set into motion the events that led to her resurrection and the eventual and permanent death of former Count Lucio.

  
  Nadia kissed the crown of Vittoria’s head briefly before leaving to get Portia, Julian got up putting his glove back on and started making the couch more comfortable for Vittoria to lay upon.

  
  “Hey guys? It’s…really fuzzy.” Vittoria says as her head slips from Asra’s shoulder to his lap her legs hitting the table leg jostling the contents on top. “Vita!” “Vittoria!!” The last thing she sees before surrendering to the darkness is Julian and Asra’s panic stricken faces.

  
  When she comes too she’s on the couch with her head in Nadia’s lap eyes still shut against the light of the room, while Asra mixes something in a bowl and Julian’s hand is on her wrist taking her pulse muttering how foolish she is and how they should have noticed sooner. Nadia shushes him gently running a hand in Vittoria’s hair saying how if she wasn’t so foolish…No…stubborn she says we never would be what we are now.

  
  Asra comes over carrying a bowl which smells like mint, eucalyptus and something else she can’t identify, and sits down next to Julian. “This should help her breathe a bit easier. If not we could try taking her to the bathing chamber to see if the steam could help ease her breathing any?”

  
  “I remember she’d mix it up all the time to stuff in my mask or her own. She also said it worked well when used on patients to ease congestion with a warm damp cloth covering the mixture after it’s been applied on the chest.” Julian replied while moving his ungloved hands to check Vittoria’s temperature and breathing when he noticed her stirring finally. “Vita?”

  
  Vittoria opened her eyes slowly staring at the three, “Hey what happened?” She asked turning her gaze up at Nadia who leaned down to kiss her temple.

  
  “According to Julian and Asra you passed out almost immediately after I left the library. Your fever seemed to suddenly spike.” Nadia said as Asra set down the bowl on the end table Julian has put his supplies on.

  
  “You scared us. For a moment…’ Asra stops speaking as his hands shake, Vittoria lifts her own hand to cover one of his squeezing it tightly. ‘For a moment we thought the plague came back. But your eyes were just normal bloodshot.” He finishes squeezing her hand back. Faust slithering onto the back of the couch and coiling up like a content noodle.

  
  “Sorry. I didn’t think my fever would make me dizzy despite being so low. Or that it would jump higher so quickly. Maybe my headache was worse than I thought.” Vittoria said undoing the lacing on the front of her dress a bit so Asra could apply the mixture to the upper part of her chest.

  
  “That would explain some of it. How long have you had the headache Vita?” Julian asked pouring something from a vial into a cup on the end table he was using for his supplies while Asra rubbed the mixture into Vittoria’s chest.

  
  Vittoria breathed in through her mouth her nose stuffed up in her sleep making her wiggle it a bit. “Last night. I barely slept which lead to me wandering the gardens for a bit hoping that would help. Seems all it did was give me a cold.” She finishes with a small pout making her three companions chuckle.

  
  Nadia kept carding her hand through Vittoria’s hair remembering the nights they spent together how her love had mentioned she slept easier when someone usually Asra would do this. “You should know Julian shot down my idea for later. He doesn’t want ALL of us getting sick by having us share my bed to care for you.”

  
  Julian rolled his eye replacing the wet cloth on his patient’s forehead as Asra wiped his hands on a rag, the mixture was applied all over the upper part of Vittoria’s chest and even part of her throat before he’d dunked a cloth in the bowl of hot water and wringing it out before laying it over the mixture on her chest and throat. “I don’t need pasha tearing my ears off if you fell ill as well Nadia.” Julian muttered.

  
  Nadia laughed at that. Vittoria smiled a little knowing if this was the past Julian would have suggested leeches JUST to see her make a face and threaten to put leeches in his boots. Asra tucked the blanket tighter around her before she started coughing again. A harsh wet cough that left her gasping for air.

  
Rolling onto her side blindly trying to grab onto someone and feeling Asra’s hand take hers while Nadia rubbed her back and Julian poured a cup of tea from a pot Portia had brought to help Vittoria take any medicines easier and alleviate any pain in her throat.

  
  Once the fit stopped Asra and Nadia sat her up so Julian could give her the tea laced with medicine making sure she drank at least a third of the cup before she lay back down on Nadia’s lap. “There that should help for now. Vita? It might be best to move you to bed for the time being. Do you feel up for it?” Julian asked setting the cup down and gently taking her hand that wasn’t in Asra’s.

  
  “I like Nadia’s idea…at least then the bed can fit all of us. I…I don’t want to be alone.” Vittoria said quietly a small tear falling down her cheek which Nadia wiped away before placing her hand on her lover’s cheek.

  
  “You won’t be. I promise. We’ll all stay with you if we can. I’ll let the kitchen know you can’t come down for dinner so we’ll have it in my rooms.” Vittoria smiled weakly at that leaning into the cool feeling of Nadia’s hand.

  
  “Ok. I’ll probably just eat soup but at least for now I can eat.” She said shutting her eyes again briefly. “Asra got up to help Julian pack up his supplies and move the table aside so Julian would be able to pick Vittoria up easier.

  
  Nadia placed her other hand on Vittoria’s stroking it gently tracing small scars and the bones of her knuckles. “Vittoria? Before you fall asleep again can you promise us something?” She asked softly

  
  Vittoria opened her eyes. The dark brown muddied and glazed over with fever. “Sure whatever you want Nadia.” She said with a grin which made Nadia smile and kiss her on the cheek.

  
  “Next time you feel sick promise me you’ll tell one of us? Alright? I don’t think any of us want a scare like earlier to happen again.”

  
  “I promise.” Vittoria said before falling asleep. The next time she woke up it was to the smell of jasmine and soup. Slowly she opened her eyes to see the curtains around Nadia’s bed drawn and Faust sleeping next to her. Asra was holding her close like when they slept together at home in the narrow little bed. Nadia was thanking Portia for bringing up the food while Julian had his back to her.

  
  Looking down she blushed realizing she was not in her dress anymore but a nightgown with a scoop neck. “ _Easier to apply the rub that way. But who changed me? Asra?_ ” She wondered to herself. Vittoria tried to sit up but that woke Asra up.

  
  “Vittoria? You’re up feeling a little better?” Asra asked helping her sit up against the numerous pillows the gauzy curtains surrounding Nadia’s bed obscuring them for a moment.

  
  “A bit. Asra? Who changed me? Just…’ Vittoria puts her hand to her forehead knocking the cloth on it aside & sinking into the pillows, ‘Dumb question probably Portia or Jules. Actually maybe not Jules…probably...” She trailed off rubbing her throat a bit at the scratchy feeling.

  
  Asra kissed her cheek gently. “Portia did while Ilya made sure you’d be comfortable and Nadi had the kitchens work on making plenty of soup and tea for you. And well…I MIGHT have suggested getting a couple loaves of pumpkin bread from the baker if you’re stomach can handle it.”

  
  As if on cue the curtains were drawn back to reveal Nadia holding a tray with soup, tea and a SMALL slice of pumpkin bread. “I knew I heard voices.’ She said with an amused smile setting down the tray with its little feet over Vittoria’s lap, ‘I take it you feel a little better?”

  
“Yeah…mostly. Throat’s killing me, I can breathe barely through my nose and my head is STILL trying to split open.” Vittoria replied the cloth from her forehead still on her shoulder.

  
  “Well that answers nearly all my questions in one go then” Julian said as he sat on the edge of the bed as far away from Faust as he could. Vittoria nodded slowly before tearing off a piece of the bread to eat in case her stomach rebelled later at least she got some of it NOW instead of staring longingly at it while being only able to barely stand liquids.

  The bread tasted…ok. She blamed her illness for why it didn’t taste as amazing as usual. “ _My hair’s tied back also. Jules could have or Nadia. Make it easier when I sleep and if I throw up I guess. I hate being sick. Course one of the first things that HAPPENED when I worked for Julian was a cold went around before the plague got worse and I caught it. Oh the irony. First two weeks of the job and I get sick._ ” Vittoria thought to herself as she ate.

  
  Nadia smiled softly glad her love had enough of an appetite to eat and drink however small the amount was. She took the cloth from Vittoria’s shoulder and got up to get a fresh one while Vittoria turned her attention from her soup and bread to the cup of tea.

  
  “Chamomile with…a little poppy extract and I think ginger?” Vittoria asked before drinking making a face when she caught the taste of medicine that hadn’t been covered by the ginger.

  
  “Pretty much. The poppy is mainly to try and ease the pain in your head and throat. The medicine well…You made it yourself hundreds of times.” Julian said as Nadia came back and run the cloth over Vittoria’s neck until she laid back and Nadia could place the cloth on her forehead.

  
  Asra smiled remembering how Vittoria even before apprenticing to Julian would make remedies when the weather turned cold. “ _Might not be a doctor but sometimes they send them to us or herbalists. So might as well have some on hand. And if you or I get sick well…there you go._ ” She would say. Even after she came back and had to relearn to be human.

  
  Vittoria sank deeper into the pillows as the medicine laced tea took effect easing the pain in her head. “Thanks. Really…I’m glad I well…didn’t have to be alone. And…I know you’re all glad I didn’t try to hide it until it got worse.” She muttered as Asra moved the tray to a table.

  
  She shut her eyes as the bed dipped more and she felt three pairs of arms surround her as best they could. Surrounded by her loves Vittoria fell asleep once more curled up in both soft blankets and love.


End file.
